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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. current — electric
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. deal — to handle
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. current — of water
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. kick — in football
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. perch — the fish
  16. current — happening now
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mark — a grade
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mark — a trace

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com